East DRC city timidly comes back to life under M23 control

BUKAVU, DR Congo - Two bodies lay on a Bukavu road, lynched by a mob accusing them of taking part in the widespread pillaging of the eastern DR Congo city as it fell to pro-Rwandan forces.

Following the city's seizure by the Rwanda-backed M23 Movement, the crackle of bullets gave way to the sound of sirens on Monday as ambulances made their way to treat those wounded in the violence.

The capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo's South Kivu province, now under the M23's total control, fell with next to no resistance from the fleeing Congolese army.

Thousands of people have fled the region to neighbouring Burundi. Many of those who stayed behind were keen to clap the M23 as columns of fighters entered Bukavu on Sunday morning.

"You can walk past them and they won't arrest you or ask you for any identification," said resident Bonaventure Bene.

Bukavu was the latest area to fall into the hands of the M23, which in recent months has seized swathes of territory in the east having once again taking up arms in late 2021, in a country that has been plagued by decades of conflicts.

"Our old authorities have fled and the new ones haven't said anything so far, we're in a state of confusion," said Hypocrate Marume, another local resident.

The M23 began advancing in South Kivu after last month taking control of Goma, the capital of the neighbouring North Kivu province that borders Rwanda.

Fighting between the M23 and the Congolese army there left thousands dead, according to the United Nations.

'Numerous' bodies in morgues 

In Bukavu, civilians were tentatively walking the streets again after being holed up in their homes for two days, fearing a scenario similar to that in Goma.

Although a bloodbath was avoided in the city, the streets were still littered with rubbish left by residents who took advantage of the confusion to loot shops, humanitarian warehouses and the local brewery.

After the arrival of M23 fighters, some residents also took justice into their own hands.

Red Cross teams have been collecting charred bodies as residents watch.

The dead are "numerous" in the city's morgues, according to a health source, although no official toll has been given.

More than 200 wounded have been treated in three days in the city's hospitals, according to a tally of figures by AFP from the International Committee of the Red Cross and medical charity MSF.

But in other parts of the city, life is slowly returning to normal.

A few minibuses and motorbike taxis have started again to circulate on the streets, which are unusually quiet.

"There are not many taxis, they say there is no fuel because the stations are closed," said motorbike taxi driver Moise Mapendi.

He explained that for a journey that would normally cost 1000 Congolese francs (around 0.30 euros) drivers can now set the price "as we want", whether that be twice or five times as high.

 'How will we live?' 

Christophe Cirhuza, who came back to the city centre to restart his tyre repair business, said that "clients come timidly".

Economic activity is gradually resuming and in two markets traders have returned to their stalls, although customers are few and far between.

"We are taking advantage of this calm to restart our commercial activities, otherwise how will we live?" fruit and spice seller Maman Nyabadeu said.

Bukavu's port on Lake Kivu, essential for the city's trade, is still closed.

But the M23 on Monday announced the reopening of activity on the lake from Tuesday.

It is the main commercial route between Bukavu and Goma in the absence of a passable road.

The border post in Bukavu with neighbouring Rwanda has remained partially closed since Sunday on the Congolese side.